Power saving system and method

Abstract

A power saving method ( 10 ) in a wireless device having a short range communication link with a host device can include the steps of establishing the short range communication link with the host device ( 14 ), establishing at least one function of the wireless device in the host device ( 16 ), and transferring ( 38 ) the at least one function of the wireless device to the host device upon a predetermined event if a power saving opportunity is determined. If no power saving opportunity is determined, then processing ( 26 ) of the at least one function can be retained at the wireless device. The method can further include the step of sending ( 32 ) a request by the wireless device to the host device for handling the predetermined event and transferring the at least one function if the request is accepted.

1 . A power saving method in a wireless device having a short range communication link with a host device, comprising the steps of: 
 establishing the short range communication link with the host device;    establishing at least one function of the wireless device in the host device; and    transferring the at least one function of the wireless device to the host device upon a predetermined event if a power saving opportunity is determined.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of processing the at least one function at the host device.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of retaining the at least one function at the wireless device if no power saving opportunity is determined.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises the step of processing the at least one function at the wireless device.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of sending a request by the wireless device to the host device for handling the predetermined event and transferring the at least one function if the request is accepted.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of establishing at least one function of the wireless device with two or more host devices.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises the step of determining which of the two or more host devices are most capable of processing the at least one function.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of transferring the at least one function from the host device back to the wireless device once the wireless device is out of range of the short range communication link with the host device.  
     
     
         9 . A wireless device, comprising: 
 a transceiver for a short range communication link with a host device; and    a processor coupled to the transceiver, wherein the processor is programmed to: 
 establish the short range communication link with the host device;  
 establish at least one function of the wireless device in the host device; and  
 transfer the at least one function of the wireless device to the host device upon a predetermined event if a power saving opportunity is determined.  
   
     
     
         10 . The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further programmed to enable the processing of the at least one function at the host device.  
     
     
         11 . The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further programmed to retain the at least one function at the wireless device if no power saving opportunity is determined.  
     
     
         12 . The wireless device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further programmed to process the at least one function at the wireless device.  
     
     
         13 . The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further programmed to send a request to the host device to handle the predetermined event and transfer the at least one function if the request is accepted by the host device.  
     
     
         14 . The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further programmed to establish at least one function of the wireless device with two or more host devices.  
     
     
         15 . The wireless device of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further programmed to determine which of the two or more host devices are most capable of processing the at least one function.  
     
     
         16 . The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the wireless device is selected among the group comprising a cellular phone, a two-way pager, a messaging device, a trunked radio, a smart phone, a satellite phone, a laptop computer, a portable home appliance, a portable personal hygiene appliance, or any combination thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the transceiver for the short range communication link with the host device comprises at least one among a Bluetooth communication link, an infrared communication link, or an 802.15.4 communication link.  
     
     
         18 . The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the host device is selected among the group comprising a personal computer, a vehicle, or an electronic device coupled to a fixed power source, wherein each of the host devices has at least one function capability among audio, display, and user input.  
     
     
         19 . The wireless device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further programmed to enable the transfer of the at least one function from the host device back to the wireless device once the wireless device is out of range of the short range communication link with the host device.  
     
     
         20 . A power saving system for a portable electronic product, comprising: 
 a transceiver for a short range communication link with a host device; and    a processor coupled to the transceiver, wherein the processor is programmed to: 
 establish the short range communication link between the portable electronic product and the host device;  
 establish at least one function of the portable electronic product in the host device; and  
 transfer the at least one function of the portable electronic product to the host device upon a predetermined event if a power saving opportunity is determined.